Chapter Five

Serin was standing and leaning against the doorframe with a smile. “Despite the fact that Sohar is desperately bad at courtship, he thought that having other females on board would help you relax. He just picked the wrong ones, so bring the right ones.”

When described that way, his effort was encouraging.

She looked at Sohar, and he had a deep furrow in his brow. “Isn’t that what I said?”

“No. What you said is that some tourists asked to come and strip off all over your... deck. And you said yes. And then invited me to watch.”

He blinked, and understanding filled his eyes. “Oh, dear. Oh, no.”

Loken finished getting dressed. “Come on, big guy. I will explain things as we go.”

There was comfort radiating from the temporary link. She bit her lip and watched them go.

Serin sighed. “Sohar is slow due to his nature. He’s big, and thinking fast isn’t easy for him. Before he became the island, he was a geologist, but this is his family’s burden to bear. There has to be one of his kind in the world at all times. His grandfather and father avoided it, but poor Sohar got stuck with it.” Serin smiled. “His mind is bright, but the expression is slow. It will speed up when you are linked.”

“You are confident.”

“Yes. I am an excellent matchmaker now that my body is on the way to being whole.”

“You don’t need your crutches.”

“Not technically, but I am still going to the waterfall to take what the water will part with. Go on the vessel, and have fun. Rescue that sister-in-law, maybe see if Ohno’s sister will come along with you, or call Amby and see what she is up to. And Thera. Invite them all. Even Haravin.” Serin held up her phone. “Oh, look, you already did, and they will meet you at the dock. Well, not Haravin. Kekoa is making sure she stays on dry land for now. Each one of the ladies is bringing one alpha, so the bachelorettes will have other eye candy to ogle.”

She snorted. “So, what do I wear to taunt alphas but have fun?”

“I have just the thing. I picked up some items at Ahheel’s yesterday.” Serin returned to her room and came out with a pretty bag packed with clothing.

“Thanks. How much did you spend?”

“If you guys take video on the yacht, it is an advertising expense. So, take lots of video.” Serin smiled. “And now, get going. You don’t want to have everyone waiting for you.”

Aeryn sighed and got to work. Ten minutes later, she was washed off and dressed in two layers: a swimsuit and a wrap dress. She slipped on her heeled sandals and had her sunscreen and water bottle. It was going to be a lot of lazing in the sun today.

She saw the gathering near the dock, and her ladies were laughing together. She smiled as she took in Amby, Thera, and Ahheel all waiting for her. The mated ladies had an alpha with them, and when the launch from the yacht arrived, the twenty people got on board for their transport to the bigger vessel.

Exoval sat next to Aeryn. “Amby likes you very much.”

“Thanks. I wonder why.”

“She said that you are life and energy here. Serin is growth and harmony. Well, that is what my bonded sister said.”

“Ahheel? I have only met her for a few minutes.”

“She knows how to judge people and when someone is good for the island. She thinks you will be very good for the island.”

She heard a shutter, and Thera was taking photos. Aeryn sighed. “Really?”

“Sure. The two most beautiful people on this launch. You are stunning side by side.”

Exoval smiled. “She is lovely, but I prefer Ambermarle by my side.”

Aeryn chuckled. “That doesn’t need to be said. Makes my second rejection of the day and the morning is still young.”

Exoval frowned. “Who would be dumb enough to reject you?”

“Oh, my mate. The one who arranged for eight strange women to cavort on his vessel and added me as an afterthought.” Aeryn sighed as they pulled up, and she waited as crewmembers assisted the ladies one by one.

She grabbed the packs that Thera had and Orc couldn’t manage. Whey they climbed up the ladder, she was the last person on.

It was the story of her life. The last person where they should be, which means that everyone else was in place first. She was spending her life catching up, and now, she was the last one on board. She took her computer and walked around to the forward deck. There was a table and chairs in the shadows, so she took the memory cards and started uploading them as the vessel got underway.

She felt a tug on the super-thin link with Loken. She tugged back and kept working.

It took three minutes for Loken to find her. He knelt at her side. “Why are you here? The party is back there.”

She looked at him and took a deep breath. “I would swim back to Wonder if I could without attracting notice.”

“Why? Everybody is having fun.”

“I have never really been good with fun. I am better with work.”

“But, your dancing...” He frowned.

“I learned how to do it to fit in as I travelled.” She shrugged. “It’s just something I can do, like riding the wind or making my own waves to follow.” She looked at him. “What does fun feel like?”

He blinked. “Seriously?”

“I know what it looks like, but I don’t know what it feels like.”

“Do you know why not?”

“I sort of remember it before I ran into Sohar, and then, the memories stop.” She swallowed. “Did I do something wrong? I mean, for Sohar to invite those women before me? Did I do something wrong?”

Loken touched her mind, and she shared her howling confusion. He pressed his forehead to hers, and she tasted his breath. He had brushed his teeth.

The bride’s voice was all honey and coaxing. “Loken, come back to the party.”

He didn’t even move. “No. I am staying here.”

The bride tried to copy an omega whine and stamped her foot.

Aeryn said softly, “Ask Exoval for hints on how to whine.”

“Shut up, cow.”

Loken straightened and looked at the bride. “Aeryn, does that happen often?”

“Yes. Too big to be an omega and too attractive to be a beta. Cow happens a lot.” She nodded to Loken. “You can go play with her.”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

Two crewmen came and ushered the bride off the foredeck and to the back where the party was happening.

Loken turned to her and smiled. “Now, what are you working on?”

“I am uploading a lot of images and video shoots from yesterday. We are supposed to be doing some today as well.”

“We have a full array of computers and screens down below. Do you want to go there?”

“No. Not until I have done the uploading. Having the finished files on your boat won’t do me any good.”

“You could come back?” He approached her hopefully.

“Planning on having another party I am not invited to?” She winced. “Sorry. I am just feeling... not good. I am usually more even-tempered.”

“You are tired, and you never got your extra nap. Show me what to do, and you can nap while I do the downloads.”

She was tired. He was right. “Okay. You use these keys and make a new folder for every file.”

He smiled. “I can manage it.”

“I am going to sleep here if that’s okay?”

He opened up a bench and got a pillow and blanket. “You can get settled there. I am going to remain with you.”

She laughed and got up, getting settled on the bench seat a moment later. She pulled the blanket up around her shoulders and was being rocked to sleep by the thrust of the engines and steady waves.

“Don’t let anyone take a picture of me asleep, please.” She mumbled it.

“I won’t, beauty. Get some rest.”

She nodded, and the sound of the waves against the hull took her mind over and blissfully blanked it.

Aeryn smelled coffee and opened her eyes. The angle of light had changed, and she felt so much better.

Mini was sitting next to Loken and working on two laptops with a supplemental screen. Loken was focusing and asking questions.

Mini met her gaze and smiled. “Are you rested?”

Aeryn looked at the woman and smiled. “I am. Is that coffee?”

Loken got up and carried it over. He also brought a bottle of water. “Mini says she saw you having a meltdown and came to help by keeping her sister-in-law away. It worked. The second Mini was up here, the other woman stayed with her pack.”

Mini grinned. “I am repellant at the best of times, even more so when I am making an effort.”

Ahheel walked up and put her hand on Mini’s shoulder possessively. “Mini is very charming and exceptionally wise. And she has a fun tattoo.”

Mini blushed brightly. “Yeah.”

Aeryn blinked. “You do?”

“I call it a tattoo, but it just showed up one day. A whale and flowers.”

Aeryn wanted to see it. She sat up, and Loken handed her the coffee.

Loken smiled. “It’s a blue whale and plumeria, hibiscus, and lilies.”

Ahheel smiled. “Those are the flowers.”

Mini kept looking toward the bow. She winced and shook her head.

Aeryn sipped at the coffee, and Loken settled next to her with his arm around her. She looked to Mini. “So, you recognized a meltdown?”

“Yeah, not enough sleep, too much stress, and unusual stimuli. Sets me off every time. That’s why I work from home. Easier to control my environment. With control comes calm. But every now and then, someone pulls you out and shoves you into the ocean without a snorkel or fins. Ahheel got me out and held me until I calmed down. Then, I recognized what I saw in you earlier, and we got started on editing some of the video into videos.”

Sohar came up with a tray full of coffee, juice, and water.

Loken chuckled. “He is done playing host now that they have started drinking.”

Aeryn looked around, and all of the inhabitants of Wonder, their alphas, and one omega were around her.

Thera smiled. “When you are ready, we can get some aerial shots. We have already done some waveshots. Orc is like a ten-year-old with the remote.”

Orc just grinned and checked the charge on the drones. “I am all grown up where it counts.”

Thera went over and pinched his cheeks. “Yes, you are. You are my big, brave boy.”

The group watching laughed.

Amby was cuddling with Exoval, and he was kissing her steadily.

Thera looked over at Aeryn. “Well, since Amby is down for the count and Ahheel is courting, how is your freediving?”

“Pretty good. Why?”

Sohar said, “The ladies wanted fresh fish; I am not diving.”

Thera sighed. “And Orc eats what he catches, so it is you and me, Aeryn.”

Aeryn looked to Loken. “You don’t spearfish?”

“I am another one that keeps what I eat.”

Aeryn nodded. “Right. Just let me get the coffee and water down.”

Loken rubbed her back. “We need about forty pounds for a group this size.”

Aeryn looked at Thera, and they nodded. “Grouper it is.”

Aeryn looked at Sohar after she finished the water. “Make sure we are positioned somewhere good.”

He nodded. “We will set anchor off a reef, and you can go hunting.”

Aeryn felt the engines slowing, and she got to her feet. “Okay, let’s go. Time to catch some food.”

Thera nodded. “Let’s go. Orc, I will call if I need you, but you are not conducive to catching fish.”

He grimaced and said, “Fine, but wear a camera.”

“Fine. Aeryn, you, too.”

Orc got chest cameras out, checked them, and Aeryn opened the tie on her dress and let it drop around her feet. She put the camera on and turned to have it buckled behind her back. She flipped off her shoes, and she and Thera headed around and to the back of the boat. The bachelorette party was in full swing, harassing the long-suffering crew.

Thera smiled and said, “When was the last time you went diving without tanks?”

“Three years. That was when I realized I didn’t need to breathe underwater. I just become still.”

“Nice. Okay. Got your gear?”

Aeryn nodded with her flippers and mask in place. She put the spear sling on her shoulder, and they sank into the water, looking for the reef.

Thera was fun to play with. They moved smoothly and silently. No bubbles disturbed the fish that they passed.

They took pictures of each other and played in the water, doing barrel rolls and mimicking tiptoeing up to the fish.

After a while, they just started shopping. One fish after another gave way, and Thera had to surface for a few breaths but was back and harvesting lunch a few minutes later. When they were loaded, Aeryn put her arm around Thera, and the column of water that she commanded took them back to the boat, past the startled sharks and other predators looking for a snack.

They got back to the yacht in record time, handed their lines off, and were hauled out of the water a moment later. Orc had his arms around Thera, muttering about stupid sharks needing a comeuppance.

Sohar hugged Aeryn and muttered, “Why didn’t you breathe?”

“I don’t need to.”

A voice next to her asked, “Ma’am, how do you like your fish?”

“If I have a choice? Battered in nugget form.”

The man laughed. “That can be done.”

Aeryn looked up at Sohar. “I need to shower, or the salt will make me itchy.”

“Fine, but then back for a hug.”

The fresh spray was right there, and she rinsed out her hair before turning under the cool water.

When she was clean, she looked at Sohar, and he had a towel ready for the hug. When she walked forward, he wrapped her up and lifted her off her feet. He walked her up to the forward deck and sat down with her on his lap.

“I need to get the camera off.”

He nodded and helped her unclip it. Orc came over and got the camera. “This footage is gorgeous. You and Thera make a good team.”

She smiled. “It was fun.”

“How did you get back so fast?”

“Skills, my friend. Nothing but skills.”

Thera laughed.

Sohar held her close, and Aeryn felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Protected. She leaned against his shoulder, and he kissed her forehead.

He murmured, “I am sorry I am so inept at this, but I have not tried to ease a mate into my grasp before.”

“Good thing, too. I almost gave up and thought about pitching for the other team.”

Ahheel looked up with a smile. “Glad to have you.”

Sohar murmured, “She said almost.”

The boutique owner laughed.

Mini’s head lifted, and she looked into the distance. “He’s so sad.”

Orc asked, “You can hear that?”

Mini nodded. “Yeah. It’s low and sad and whiney all at the same time.”

Exoval laughed. “My brother is extra lonely of late. The golden alpha is also a big blue boy, and he spends his days off deep in the water, complaining.”

Mini frowned. “Why can I hear him out here?”

Ahheel lifted the back of Mini’s loose shirt. “Why indeed? It looks like we will be a pod of three.”

Exoval grinned. “I think he should join us for lunch. Do you have a wrap for him?”

Sohar nodded. “Of course.”

Loken stood up from watching what Mini was doing and looked to Exoval, “Is he coming?”

Exoval’s eyes flickered to blue and gold for a moment, looking at Mini in Ahheel’s embrace. “Yeah, he’s on the way.”

Aeryn smiled. “If he goes human ahead of us, I can pull him out and bring him here.”

Exoval nodded. “Got it.”

Loken lifted one of the seats and removed some fabric and a towel.

Aeryn looked off the bow. In the distance, the huge figure approached with increasingly close breaching. She watched, and as she began to gather focus, he surfaced again.

Thera muttered, “He’s a big fucker.”

Orc snorted. “I would argue, but you aren’t wrong. He’s large, even for a blue. Around here, he keeps the lesser beings in line, but we are way faster than he is, and we corner better.”

Thera patted her mate. “Yes, you guys are all very impressive. I won’t swim with any other pods.”

Orc hugged her. “Thank you, and thanks to the little one.”

“We don’t know which one of you got there.” She looked at him, and he grinned. “Fine, you are the likely candidate, but it is only because you hogged me for the first eight hours.”

Aeryn listened, but she watched the whale approach. When it was a few hundred yards off the bow, it went under, and a man surfaced. Aeryn snagged him and pulled him up to the ship in one smooth motion. He landed with a grin, and Loken tossed him a towel.

He dried his hair and then his body. After that, he wrapped the sarong around his hips. Exoval was laughing.

Amby smirked. “Mini, may I introduce my brother by bond, Exeter. A man who fixes his hair before he wraps up his junk.”

Mini’s face was tomato red, and Exeter walked up and took her hand. “Hello, lady. I am Exeter.”

Orc added, “He’s known as the golden alpha. Can you guess why?”

Aeryn looked Exeter over. His skin was gold, his hair was shades of gold, and his eyes had gold in them.

Mini was flustered at the direct attention, and Ahheel stood up. “Exeter, let’s talk.”

The two alphas walked inside to the dining area, and Ahheel spoke rapidly with a lot of hand gestures.

Mini looked mortified.

Aeryn asked, “Mini, what is it?”

“They are discussing my lack of socialization.”

“Oh. Oohh.” Aeryn caught on. “That kind of socialization.”

“Yup. I figured Ahheel would take it easy on me at first, but I have literally seen Exeter, and I don’t know how to deal with that.”

Exoval laughed, and Aeryn reacted. She wrapped him in water and hoisted him above the deck. Amby gasped, “Please put him down.”

Aeryn looked at her. “He is just in an unfamiliar situation. He can breathe and is being held securely; he is not in danger. Why shouldn’t I laugh at that expression of shock on his face?”

Amby blinked and nodded. “Right. He was an ass, but Exeter is his brother, so they tease and laugh together and about one another.”

Aeryn slowly lowered the omega to the deck. Mini came up to her and hugged her. Aeryn hugged her back. Soon, she whispered, “How long is appropriate for this kind of hug?”

Mini laughed. “I don’t know.”

They both stood and giggled, and Exoval came over. “I am sorry to offend, Mini. It was happy laughter. My brother has a mate, and that is a very good thing.” He looked at Aeryn. “Thank you for being careful with me.”

“You are smaller than me. You have to take care of the smaller ones. It’s a rule.”

Sohar asked, “Aeryn, you are taller than a lot of alphas. Who took care of you?”

“Me. I took care of me, then I took care of Serin, but now, Serin is fixed. So, back to just me.”

Sohar frowned. “You grew because of me.”

“Because I got shot, and you fixed me. Yes. Because you got shot, too, and our blood was everywhere. Because you linked to me in that bitey kiss in the hospital. You made me diamond hard and impervious to damage while I wasn’t with you, but now I am near you, and the protection is gone.”

He looked at her. “I want to be there for you. I want to take care of you.”

“I don’t know how to let you.”

Sohar’s eyes widened, and he hugged her as he finally understood. “I’ve got it. It has to be by increments.”

“Yes. I need my normal, but I know it will fade.” She cocked her head at him. “But what will be left of me when it’s gone?”

“I promise to make sure you have something in its place.”

She slid her arms around him and held on. “That sounds good.”

Loken pressed against her from behind, and the hug continued.

It was contact she wanted to get used to.